1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to treadmills and treadmill decks, and more specifically to treadmills having cushioned treadmill decks.
2. Present State of the Art
Treadmills have become increasingly popular in recent years as exercise equipment. Treadmills are commonly used for either running or walking indoors at home, at the office, at commercial exercise establishments and at physical rehabilitation centers. Most exercise treadmills include a treadbase with an elongated, support deck. First and second rollers are typically mounted on opposite ends of the support deck. An endless belt is mounted for travel about the rollers. The belt is generally flexible and unable to support the weight of a user as the user contacts the belt. The support deck is disposed between the upper and lower portions of the belt, and commonly supports the belt and the weight of the user as the user ambulates (e.g., walks or runs) on the treadmill. The support deck is commonly made of a rigid material (e.g., wood). In modern treadmills, a motor controls the belt and causes the belt to move at varying speeds about the rollers. As the user ambulates on the belt, the belt is pressed against the underlying support deck, which supports the user during ambulation.
Due to the rigid support of certain treadmill decks, the shock of the user""s step on the belt can be reflected back into the user""s foot, ankle, knee and other joints in a similar manner as the reactive forces imposed by a paved surface. Because rigid decks reflect the shock from the user""s step back to the user""s joints, methods for cushioning treadmills have become popular. A cushioned treadmill absorbs some of the shock of the user""s step, thus softening the impact on the user""s foot and joints and increasing the enjoyment of the user.
Thus, some type of cushioning mechanism is advantageous. However, typical forms of cushioning require additional assembly and parts and require a frame structure in which to incorporate the desired cushioning method. One attempt that has been made to cushion the impact felt by the treadmill user is to place a cushion between the belt and the deck, such as featured in DP Transport 9012 Treadmills. However, one problem associated with prior cushioning attempts is that such treadmills fail to provide the maximum amount of cushioning that can be experienced by a user ambulating on the treadmill deck.
What is needed is an improved cushioned treadmill which is efficient to manufacture, enjoyable to the user, provides the maximum amount of cushioning to the entire treadmill deck, provides cushioning configured to resist wear, and has a pleasing aesthetic appearance.
One problem associated with providing such cushioning is that different treadmill users have different weights. Furthermore, different amounts of cushioning may be required when the user is standing the treadmill versus the user running on the treadmill. What is therefore also needed is a method for providing a universal amount of cushioning on a treadmill that will cushion a lightweight individual, a heavier individual, a person standing on the treadmill and a person running on the treadmill.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a cushioned treadmill that is inexpensive and efficient to manufacture.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cushioned treadmill that is enjoyable for the user.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cushioned treadmill that provides the maximum amount of cushioning to the entire treadmill deck.
It is another object of the invention to provide a cushioned treadmill having cushioned sides such that a user exercising on the treadmill can place the exercisers feet on the cushioned sides of the treadmill.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cushioned treadmill that utilizes cushioning configured to resist wear.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cushioned treadmill that has a pleasing aesthetic appearance.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cushioned treadmill that does not form significant impressions therein when ambulated upon by a user.
It is a further object of the invention to provide cushioning for treadmill users having different weights.
It is a further object of the invention to provide different amounts of cushioning for users who are standing on a treadmill or running on the treadmill.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a system and method for providing a universal amount of cushioning on a treadmill that will cushion both the lightweight individual, the heavier individual, the person standing on the treadmill and the person running on the treadmill.
To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a treadmill having a cushioning member on the treadmill support deck is provided. The cushioning member is configured to reside on a support deck below the belt, thereby forming a cushioned treadmill deck.
As a major advantage in the art, in one embodiment, a cushioning member extends from a central portion of the deck (under the belt) to at least one edge of the deck, and preferably from under the deck to each of the opposing edges of the deck. The cushion provides cushioning across the entire width of the treadmill deck (or even beyond the edges to cushion/decorate the sides of the deck and/or frame). At least one embodiment of the invention provides a universal amount of cushioning on a treadmill that will cushion a lightweight individual, a heavier individual, a person standing on the treadmill and a person running on the treadmill. By placing the cushioning member on the support deck, the treadmill deck may have a pleasing aesthetic appearance to the user. As another advantage, in at least one embodiment, by placing the cushioning member on the support deck, the cushioning member is not worn by rotating about the rollers.
In addition, in one embodiment, no side stepping platforms (also referred to as xe2x80x9crailsxe2x80x9d) are provided that cover the deck or the cushioning member. This can be advantageous, as opposed to prior art designs. Thus, the user can step on the sides of the treadmill and experience the comfortable, cushioned sides, rather than impacting a less cushioned structure, such as the deck or a side stepping platform.
However, in another embodiment, one or more partial side stepping platforms are provided that partially cover the sides of the deck or the cushioning member, but do not cover the entire side portions of the cushioning member, thereby leaving a portion of the cushioning member remaining uncovered, such that a user can place the user""s feet on the cushioned, non-platformed portion or on the stepping platforms, as desired.
One cushioning member has a cushioning layer, comprising, e.g., foam, and a protective layer, comprising, e.g., a woven fabric material. The protective layer protects the cushioning layer. A thin slick friction reducing layer, comprising, e.g., MYLAR can be mounted on top of the protective layer to reduce friction between the belt and the protective layer of the cushioning member.
In one embodiment, the cushioning member of the present invention comprises (i) first and second cushioning layers having different cushioning properties, (ii) a protective layer thereon, and (iii) a friction reducing layer on the top of the protective layer. The cushioning layers may have different properties, i.e., different levels of softness, such that one layer provides cushioning for one condition while another layer provides cushioning for another condition. For example, the upper layer may cushion a light individual or a standing individual, while the lower layer may cushion a heavier individual or a running individual. In one embodiment, the upper layer comprises a soft foam material, while the lower layer comprises a semi-soft foam material. A variety of different options are available, however, for cushioning the user, as will be discussed herein. The cushioning member may also be designed such that a layer prevents the formation of a significant depression in the cushioning member, thereby assisting the motor in turning the belt.
One treadmill of the present invention comprises a treadbase coupled to a base. The treadbase comprises a rigid support deck with front and rear rollers coupled to the support deck and having an endless belt trained about the rollers. The cushioning member is coupled to the upper surface of the support deck. The cushioning member extends from the center of the support deck beyond the edges of the belt to the edges of the deck, so as to cushion the impact of the user exercising on the belt and the impact of the user standing or stepping on the sides of the deck.
Extending the cushioning member beyond the edges of the belt also makes the cushioning member readily visible to the user exercising on the belt and gives the treadmill a more pleasing aesthetic appearance. Further, a potential user shopping for a treadmill views that the cushioning properties throughout the surface of the treadmill deck are present.
As mentioned, the cushioning member may comprise several different layers. Placing a protective layer on the surface of the cushioning member protects the lower layers from damage. In addition, by forming a softer top layer and a semi-soft lower cushioning layer, the soft layer cushions a user having one weight while the semi-soft lower layer cushions a user having a heavier weight.
Furthermore, the use of a semi-soft or rigid layer may prevent or at least ameliorate (i) increased work by the motor; and/or (ii) drag felt by the user as the user""s feet contact the belt, compress the cushioning member, and slide backwards with the belt while performing exercise on the treadmill. Otherwise, more power may be required by the motor to drive the belt.
Further, placing a slick friction-reducing layer as the uppermost layer of the cushioning member, which contacts the belt when a user exercises thereon, minimizes friction between the belt and the cushioning member when the belt contacts the cushioning member. Minimizing the friction between the belt and the cushioning member prolongs the useful life of the cushioning member, decreases work exerted by the motor and further decreases drag experienced by the user.
While a variety of different materials may be used for the cushioning layers of the cushioning member, in one embodiment, the cushioning member comprises a plurality of layers of foam, each having a different cushioning property. For example, different kinds of foam may be employed, or different densities or thickness (or both) of foam may be employed to achieve a deck having cushioning layers having differing amounts of softness. Optionally, one or more non-foam materials are employed for one or more cushioning layers.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.